The present invention relates to an operating mechanism for a parking brake.
An operating mechanism of this type is known from German Document DE 195 21 159 C2. This operating mechanism comprises a manual brake lever which is positioned pivoting on a bearing block. The parking brake is operated with the aid of an actuating rod which engages in a locking device. The locking device comprises a locking segment and a detent. The locking segment is attached to the bearing block and comprises a bar with latching teeth. The detent is positioned pivoting on a bearing pivot belonging to the manual brake lever and is pre-tensioned via a spring element. A push button is provided on the front end of the actuating rod, wherein this button projects over the tubular holder and can be depressed by an operator.
The manual brake lever must be pivoted in order to operate the parking brake, wherein this pivoting movement is transmitted via the actuating rod to the detent. In one end position, the detent engages in the locking segment and thus secures the manual brake lever in the respective position.
The push button is depressed to disengage the manual brake lever from this position, thereby releasing the detent from the locking segment. The manual brake lever can thus be returned once more to the starting position.
The manual brake lever consists of two shell halves which are closed on the tops by a cover panel. The shell halves are each provided with a semi-circular attachment for accommodating the actuating rod. These attachments when combined form a tubular holder into which the front portion of the actuating rod is inserted. The back portion of the actuating rod, which extends at an angle relative to the front portion, is connected to the detent of the actuating rod.
The shell halves for the manual brake lever advantageously consist of a light-metal casting alloy. The manual brake lever thus has a high stability but also an undesirably high weight because of its solid, multi-part construction.
A further disadvantage is the undesirably high cost for producing the multi-part manual brake lever. In addition, the assembly of an operating mechanism provided with a manual brake lever of this type is undesirably complicated. The actuating rod must be inserted into an extension on a shell half before the shell halves are combined, and the actuating rod must furthermore also be joined articulated to the detent. Finally, the shell halves must be joined and the cover panel placed onto the shell halves.